Coach Mano Menezes opened the game and explained the confusion with left-back Marcelo at the end of Fluminense‘s match with Grêmio, this Friday (1st), at Maracanã, for the Brazilian Championship. The two teams were tied 2-2.
The incident happened in the 44th minute of the final stage, when the Rio team was winning 2-1. Marcelo was called and was preparing to enter the field. Mano Menezes approached to give instructions to the full-back, who, when responding to the coach, made him uncomfortable. Mano then got angry and gave up on putting the left-back on the field.
In a post-game press conference, Mano Menezes explained. “I was going to include Marcelo, but I heard something I didn’t like and changed my mind. I put John Kennedy on the edge. He’s a strong player, for you to have a way out, Keno had just left. I don’t think it was because he came on that we scored the equalizer”, said the coach.
Marcelo, in turn, did not speak about the matter. The player went for doping after the match and left without passing through the mixed zone area.
With the result, Grêmio reached 39 points, taking 11th place. Fluminense, in turn, appears just behind, in 12th, with 37 goals, missing the chance to add precious points to continue distancing themselves from the relegation zone.
